20 Small Things All Of Us Can Do To Help The Environment

Published 8 months ago

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When thinking about saving the planet, you probably imagine grandiose actions, like shutting down factories or replanting forests. Thinking this way can leave you feeling powerless – but don’t worry. There are plenty of little things all of us can do to help save our planet.

Don’t be afraid, we won’t be asking you to move out of your home and go live in a shack made of mud and straw. Something as simple as unplugging your phone charger or changing your toothbrush can go a long way as long as enough people do it. Check out all the small things you can do to help the environment in the gallery below and don’t forget – every little step counts!

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#1 Shop secondhand

Choosing fast fashion brands can be tempting – the clothes are usually cheap, colorful, and we usually throw the clothes away after about a year. But did you know that making one kilogram of fabric generates a whopping 23 kilograms of greenhouse gasses? Next time you need a new sweater, try shopping second-hand – in most cases, it’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

#5 Wash clothes in colder water

It takes about 40 gallons of water to wash a single load of laundry and it takes a lot of electricity to heat that water up. So the next time you’re doing laundry, try opting for cold cycle wash. Also, try to skip the dryer whenever you can.

#7 Use biodegradable litter

Next time you’re shopping for kitty litter, choose one made from biodegradable materials. A big part of cat litter is made from bentonite clay, a clay that doesn’t break down, and with Americans throwing away almost 2 million tons of it yearly, choosing a biodegradable one is the more environmentally-friendly option.

#14 Opt-out of spam emails

A single spam email can leave a 0.3g carbon footprint – multiply that by a whopping 62 trillion spam emails sent each year and you got yourself a problem. Do yourself and the planet a favor – opt-out of spam.

#16 Keep your fireplace damper closed

#17 Opt-out of fast delivery

“Every individual is buying more and wanting those goods to be at their home really fast. That creates more vehicles, more traffic, and potentially more emissions,” says Miguel Jaller, a professor from the Institute for Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. So next time think twice before choosing overnight shipping – can you really not wait a few days to receive your item?

#18 Listen to music offline

134 million lbs of plastic were used to produce physical records in the 2000s – that number dropped to 17 million lbs in 2016. And while that is a good thing, digital streaming of music caused an increase of greenhouse gasses from around 346 million lbs to about 440 – 771 million lbs. Researchers point out that downloading music and listening to it offline can help reduce energy use.

#20 Use cloth diapers

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